One of APMA’s key legislative priorities, the Seniors’ Act, has reached 290 cosponsors in the House of Representatives. The bicameral, bipartisan bill, led by Represenatives Mike Kelly (R-PA) and Suzan DelBene (D-WA), would establish an electronic prior authorization (PA) process in Medicare Advantage (MA) to streamline coverage decisions for medically necessary care.
APMA responded to the CMS proposed rule on interoperability standards and prior authorization for prescription drugs, which also included two requests for information related to health-care cybersecurity and durable medical equipment prosthetics and supplies (DMEPOS) prior authorization. APMA’s recommendations reflect APMA's ongoing commitment to reducing administrative burdens on physicians while ensuring timely patient access to medically necessary care.
APMA congratulates the Florida Podiatric Medical Association (FPMA) on the enactment of legislation, SB 1092, that preserves podiatric physicians’ ability to utilize certain cellular or tissue-based products (including skin substitutes) not approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) within their scope of practice.
APMA sent a letter of support to congressional champions for key legislation that would strengthen transparency, stakeholder engagement, and consistency within the Medicare local coverage determination (LCD) process.
APMA recently submitted comments to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) in response to the FY 2027 Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) proposed rule regarding the Transforming Episode Accountability Model (TEAM) and related Requests for Information on potential expansion into ambulatory surgical center (ASC) settings.
APMA President Patrick DeHeer, DPM, recently participated in the American Medical Association (AMA) House of Delegates, where APMA is an official observer. The meeting brings together physician leaders from specialty societies, state medical associations, and national medical organizations to discuss and shape policy on issues affecting patients and the medical profession.
APMA submitted a letter to the House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee in response to a hearing examining the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule, the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA) reauthorization, and opportunities for payment reforms. APMA highlighted the importance of advancing federal reforms that tie yearly Medicare physician payment fluctuations to the Medicare Economic Index (MEI) and establish a more physician-centered Merit-Based Incentives Payment System (MIPS) framework.
The House Appropriations Committee unanimously supported an amendment in the FY 2027 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations bill that would block funding for the WISeR Model. The bill also included important report language on PAD education, screening, and amputation prevention.
Following a thorough review of the submitted comments, the council adopted revised college documents at its April 25, 2026, meeting. These documents will take effect July 1, 2026. The revised documents and a summary of changes are available for review on the CPME webpage at https://www.cpme.org/podiatric-medical-colleges/cpme-120-and-130-revisions/.
APMA congratulates the Iowa Podiatric Medical Society (IPMS) on the enactment of HF 2498, legislation adopting the Interstate Podiatric Medical Licensure Compact (IPMLC) in the state. Governor Kim Reynolds recently signed the bill into law, making Iowa the second state to join the compact.
APMA congratulates the Colorado Foot & Ankle Society (CFAS) on the successful enaction of HB 26-1344, which preserves the independent Colorado Podiatry Board following the state’s sunset review process. APMA supported these efforts by submitting a formal letter to lawmakers outlining concerns related to workforce impacts, patient safety, and the importance of specialty-specific oversight for podiatric physicians.
CMS is now accepting exception applications for the 2026 Merit-based Incentive Payment System performance year. Clinicians affected by circumstances beyond their control, such as natural disasters, public health emergencies, or cyberattacks, may be eligible for a MIPS exception and reweighting of performance categories.
APMA recently urged the Department of State and Department of Homeland Security to explicitly include Doctors of Podiatric Medicine (DPMs) and podiatric residents in physician-focused immigration prioritization and expedited processing policies.
APMA has officially launched its new eAdvocacy Action Center for members, patients and students to engage in grassroots advocacy. The platform empowers APMA members to quickly engage their members of Congress and influence federal health policy. It also provides tools to take action on critical state legislation.
Representatives and APMA staff participated in a robust discussion of payer utilization management practices, modifier advocacy, including the new 25 Modifier Progress Note Guidance, the evolving use of AI in payment review and denial, Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC) engagement, skin substitute reimbursement concerns, and Durable Medical Equipment (DME) issues.
The House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee is hosting a hearing on May 20 titled Examining the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule, MACRA, and Opportunities for Payment Reforms. The hearing will focus on bipartisan opportunities to reform the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) and Merit-Based Incentives Payment System (MIPS).
Samuel Gorelik, DPM, recently attended a Massachusetts town hall hosted by Representative Seth Moulton (D-MA), where he discussed the importance of the Diabetes Foot Health Access and Modernization Act. Representative Moulton cosponsored the legislation the very next day.
Representatives Mariannette Miller-Meeks, MD (R-IA), and Herb Conaway, MD (D-NJ), introduced the Medicare Physician Data-driven Performance Payment System Act, which would reform the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) in Medicare. The legislation would replace MIPS with the Data-Driven Performance Payment System (DPPS), which would lower physician payment penalties and reinvest penalty funds to assist under-resourced practices.
CMS updated the WISeR Provider and Supplier Operational Guide to remove ICD-10 codes L97.111-L97.826 from Appendix B as indications that would automatically trigger prior authorization or pre-payment review for skin substitute applications. These diagnosis codes are commonly used to describe non-pressure chronic ulcers of the lower limb and are not exclusive to DFUs or VLUs.
APMA continues to engage in advocacy efforts through our coalition work with the Alliance for Wound Care Stakeholders, particularly on issues related to skin substitutes and physician payment. During the first quarter of 2026, the alliance supported APMA’s ongoing effort related to the revised NPU episode-based cost measure.